Welcome to Texas justice: You might beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Reflections on Turkey Day at TYC's Giddings unit

I wanted to record a few observations from my Thanksgiving Day trip out to Giddings to visit the Texas Youth Commission's violent offender unit there with Ombudsman Will Harrell. Nothing I saw particularly surprised me, but the visit confirmed and reinforced quite a few impressions garnered from watching TYC politics over the last year:

Thanks to Gidding staff for a great visitFirst, the staff I met, to a person, were wonderful, both welcoming and professional - it was a LOT different from interacting with staff at TDCJ units. I can't say everyone who works at Giddings is that way, but from all the grousing by employees on Grits, I think I expected folks to be a bit more alienated in their jobs. (Also, incidentally, most staff I met had never heard of Grits for Breakfast, so some of you TYC folks need to do a better job of spreading the word among your co-workers about this blog!)

Because of the holiday, I was disappointed not to get to see the metal shop and the chapel, both of which I was told were usually "must see" stops on the nickel tour, but both kids and staff were particularly proud of their welding/trades program and praised it in glowing terms.

Shut up and have a Happy ThanksgivingAs for the Thanksgiving dinner - because after all isn't that what's most important about the holiday? - the kids at Giddings had a hearty, traditional meal including both turkey and ham, yams, stuffing and cranberry sauce, with pecan and pumpkin pie for dessert. And it was good! If they'd served me the same thing in the Luby's I'd have felt just fine about it. Will Harrell tells me he's never had a bad meal at a TYC unit, though the portions are usually smaller than yesterday's holiday spread.

However fine the food, though, an odd atmosphere hung over the cafeteria since kids were forced to eat their "special" meal in silence within 20 minutes. Holiday meals emphasize the universal fact that eating in human culture is not only about sustenance - eating is a social event, a bonding ritual performed by social animals. A dog may take a bone and go hide alone to eat it; humans gather to eat with those they care about.

The rule against youth talking during meals supposedly is for the benefit of security, but it's not like the kids don't have plenty of chance to communicate with each other elsewhere. Seeing it imposed during Thanksgiving dinner especially emphasized to me the thoughtless bureaucratic cruelty of this regulation. The holiday message sent seemed to be: "Here, shut up and be thankful."

No 12-1 staffing ratio at GiddingsMuch has been written here and elsewhere about staffing ratios at TYC, and yesterday's visit confirmed that understaffing continues to be a problem. I wished later I'd counted heads in each one, but not a single one of the pods we visited met the 12-1 youth to staff ratio required by law. Twenty to one was more typical from what I saw. Yes, it was Thanksgiving, but it's not like SB 103 said TYC must maintain a 12-1 ratio except on holidays. And since both employees and youth complained that Giddings regularly lacks sufficient staff, I suspect what I saw wasn't just a reflection of the holiday.

Pragmatism limits pepper spray effectivenessI asked a lot of kids about the pepper spray question: Without exception, the first reaction of each of them was to laugh out loud.

Every kid knew the use of force policy had changed to allow more frequent use of pepper spray, and they could describe exactly how and when OC spray was applied on the continuum. In fact, they all knew the rules and the impact of new "Spray First" procedures much better than the administrators in Austin, who keep botching decisions on use of force in ways that keep dragging them back to court.

One kid in the capital offenders pod described to me an instance that shows the on-the-ground absurdity of the "Spray First" policy, which says that staff are required to use pepper spray before putting their hands on youth to control them. Since staff could not manually restrain him first, he said (while several other inmates giggled and added details that would embarrass the storyteller), when an overweight staff member tried to spray him, he ran to get away. (Shocking, huh?) He ran around the room, jumped over cots, bobbed and weaved around a table, and did all he could to keep from being sprayed. All the while the corpulent JCO vainly chased him about the pod, attempting to spray him but instead filling the air with a mist of OC spray that affected the other kids more than the offender.

The worst part, one of his giggling cohorts added, was that the event left several kids' cots soaked in pepper spray, and the sheets, he said, were only washed once per week. I can only imagine what it's like to sleep on pepper-spray soaked sheets, but the anecdote confirmed my sense that TYC administrators in Austin have not thoroughly thought through the new use of force rules (for which they will head back to court on Monday).

The truth is that several of the kids I spoke to would do a much better job of crafting a workable use of force policy than Dimitria Pope and "Bronco" Billy Humphrey have done. They knew exactly what worked, what didn't, and how youth responded to different situations. Maybe they should be given a little more input, and former TDCJ wardens should be given a little less.

Euphemism of the Day: Behavioral Management ProgramAs the juvie corrections field has professionalized, a pseudo-professional jargon has arisen, employing a variety of euphemisms that take the edge off of the harsher but more accurate descriptions of particular prison tactics. One of those euphemisms is the "Behavior Management Program," or BMP.

Kids "on BMP" are in solitary confinement. They live in what amounts to a dungeon, in small individual cells secured by thick metal doors with a slot at knee level for passing through food trays. It's known as a "Behavior Management Program" because supposedly kids earn their way out of solitary through improved behavior, at first being allowed to spend pockets of time with other kids, then slowly being integrated back into the general population. Six kids at Giddings (out of a total of approximately 450) were on BMP when we visited.

Most kids on suicide watch need mental health careThe same dungeon setting where the BMP kids are held also houses kids on suicide watch, though thankfully no one was there when we visited. The fellow watching over this section said that, in his experience at Giddings, most kids on suicide watch had a significant mental health problem. They either were there waiting for space to open up at the TYC mental health facility in Corsicana, or they had transferred from the Corsicana unit and probably needed to go back.

His observations reminded me of the situation in Coke County where a TYC youth was in suicide watch for weeks waiting for space to open up in Corsicana. By the time the facility was closed down over poor conditions, the youth was smearing his own feces on the wall and licking it off. Acting TYC executive director Dimitria Pope told a legislative committee last month she was unaware of a problem with delays in transferring mentally ill youth. However this JCO's comments made me think that wasn't just a problem at that Geo Group run facility in Coke County, but that Corsicana may just not have adequate capacity to handle kids in TYC with significant mental health needs. Or if it does, the bureaucracy cannot identify kids who need these services or transfer them quickly enough once they do.

Lack of programming worries youthIronically, I spent a lot less time asking questions of kids at Giddings than I did answering them, and the #1 concern expressed to me by youth was the lack of specialized treatment programs, especially sex offender and chemical dependency treatment. They wanted to know, basically, why it didn't exist or how they could get into those programs, which in many cases are required as part of their sentence.

One fellow told me his minimum two-year stay would be up in just a couple of months, but that his sentence required him to complete a sex offender treatment program that he hadn't even begun. And he wasn't alone - I was asked over and over by kids how they could get the treatment services they needed to complete their incarceration stint. These kids understood exactly what was expected and required of them, and for the most part they were willing to comply. But they were extremely frustrated that they weren't being given a chance to meet those expectations.

* * *

Those were the broad highlights. Thanks to Will Harrell for letting me tag along yesterday, and to everyone I met at Giddings for an enjoyable and informative visit.

51 comments:

Anonymous
said...

i am a former tyc member and now i am in the military but i think than there are a lot of racist pricks that run victory field correctional academy. i was there from 24may2002 through 01oct2005 and i saw some fucked up shit in there with the staff in gangs and all the black staff sticking together. cadets should be treated like human beings not like dogs. just because we did things that were against the law we should still treat them with the same consideration that we would give to anyone else in the free world. after all almost all of them will be joining us back in this free world and they will bring what they learned from inside out into the world and use it. -Will.

Scott, the campus you visited is one of the "Best" TYC has to offer. This emphasis is always told to us based on the proximity to Austin. Just think what the other campuses are like that do not receive this much scrutiny?

9:28 you are an asshole. You make TYC Employees look bad. If you saw something you shoul dhave reported it. Our national military is disserved by you being a part of it. Oh that is right....We have a Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy. No wonder you no longer are employed here. Hope you dont return home.

1:13,1:15 your a punk,wishing someone from the military not to come home.I,m sorry for getting mad,I forgot what I was saying is that what you teach them kids or are they teaching you.You need to man up cupcake! "I'm sorry" that's a joke and so are you.

@1:13 - I can't believe I'm agreeing with Joe, but FWIW 9:28 appears to be a former inmate, NOT a former staffer, and I think actual prisoners get to be immune from the "you should have reported it" mantra, since they're pretty much at the mercy of the staff directly over them.

In fact, at this point given widespread allegations of retaliation by TYC management against employees, that line, to me, is getting a little thin all the way around.

Anyway, back to 9:28 - A kid who left TYC and went into the military, to me, shouldn't be told, "Hope you dont [sic] return home," no matter how strongly you disagree with their views. Unless I'm misreading you, you just told an American soldier, "I hope you die." That's just wrong, and it certainly doesn't reflect the opinion of this blog's host. To express such an opinion and call someone else an "asshole" really takes alot of chutzpah.

let me clear something up i was not a staff in tyc i was a prisoner for 3 and a half years i got out did my parole and joined the military and i take major offense in the previous statement that soldiers like me should die in Iraq. i lost three very good friends there and i had to go the the funeral and watch their parents and wives cry uncontrollably while their son was put into the ground so i think that people who disgrace the US and the military need to reevaluate their opinions and their point of view.-thank you will

if you want to know who i am i will tell you i am not afraid of retaliation because this is a bad way to teach our youth how to grow up and become fine young men and women. my name is william tramel and i have joined the military services to help this great country in a time of peril from terrorist. i refuse to sit back and let this country go to ruins because we are no longer teaching our children the good values that our parents taught us. and as far as staying there so long i was forced to stay there for that long and not go back out within my 12 month sentence.

the superintendent was mr. windler and mr. king at first then they were fired and mr. donald brooks took over. that is when all the corruption was pushed under the table away from prying eyes so that everything would appear normal and at tiptop shape to austin.

I'll tell you I've read lots of inappropriate stuff on these blogs over time but demeaning an ex-student who is now putting his life on the line and then pumping him for information on corrupt administrators is ridiculous. Leave this young man alone, he's a hero and deserves better from all of us.

Scott I'm glad you got to visit Giddings today, it truly is a model program, but not a depiction of juvenile reform. This has ALWAYS been a good program. 30 years in the development.

Will H is on the grounds all the time and while the staff may not know what grits is (I'm glad they don't today, how embarrassing- again sorry Will-us military) they most assuredly know who our independent ombudsman is. He Will H has been a great advocate for youth and staff who work with kids effectively.

I do believe that the bloggers on Grits have hit an all time low. When a youth--who was incarcerated 2.5 years longer than his minimum, and is still able to get out,put his life together,and serve his country-- then we should ALL be celebrating. And for ANYONE to tell ANYONE who is in the military putting their life on the line just so we can have the freedom to talk on this blog, ought to be so ashamed of his/herself. I know I am ashamed and so embarrassed. When the morale is that low that people are wishing successful youth death, then we have just become pathetic. Will, I am so sorry to you for this disrespect and I hope you know there are still some good and caring TYC staff out there who really do have the youths' best interest at heart.

Glad you visited Giddings and wish you would visit more of our units. The kids on BMP's all have different stories for being on a BMP and most are behavior problems. Some are or have been so violent that they can not be with other kids and in some cases very violent or threaten staff as well. Not only do they threaten staff but they act on those threats. It is sad but sometimes there is no other solution until the student calms down and decides he needs to change his actions towards others. They are not on BMP's because they just will not comply with the program. They go thru a series of interventions before they are placed on a BMP.These kids have several chances to stop the behavior that got them placed in security. Corsicana and Crockett both are mental health units and kids with mental health needs can be sent to both places. I belive that Corsicana can house about 200 kids and Crockett may be smaller. I don't know about now, but alot of kids would cut on themselves and act out to get to Corsicana for some reason. Corsicana would be a good place to visit and see how it works. Thanks for all you do for TYC staff. This week seems to be the time that people want to get off topic and slam everyone who is posting. I think we just have some bad worms on our blogs trying to destroy the purpose of it. It has been hard to read this ThanksgivingMaybe its the holidays that are making people so mean and stupid.

It's always good to hear back from our boys. I can't speak for VFCA, but we took care of ours. Spending 2.6 past the mlos is unheard of these days. SB 103 took care of that BS. Hang in there Will. And be sure to tell us where we can send you what you need. We're doing it for our enlisted youth at the little boot camp here at Sheffield.

You should come to West Texas if you want to see the other end of the spectrum. We are so removed from the beaten track, that no one from Austin comes here and stays for any length of time. The staff who have stuck with us are among the most dedicated you'll find in TYC. They are also the one's treated most inhumanely. Staffing levels are about the same agency wide and no amount of Pope's or Hurley's lies can make it anything else. And if yu were to ask publicly about GFB, I believe you'd get the same response you got at Giddings. Retaliation is alive and well in TYC. It's bad enough that the Brookins/Hernandez scandal stigmatized us all. But then, to add insult to injury, we get stuck with a regional director (Mr. Ayo) who was directly involved in the cover up and seems to have eluded any responsibility for his actions. And then, there were the suspensions (Hollis and Davis). We were just begining to see a turn around in morale and several former staff wanted to come back. But once the "bomb threat" incident became public knowledge, these former staff changed their minds. We're now back to gain one (staff), lose two to the oil field or T&C. Ask will Harrell about WTSS, he's been there and seen us as we really are. And to the kid (Will) who made it through TYC and opted to join the military, good luck to you son! Those of us who served our country during time of war wish you a safe tour and a speedy return home. Given a real chance, any of these kids can be successful. And that's what we, as staff, are supposed to be about.

to 4:39-no the PA's were not Ayo, Brown or whoever. Brown and Ayo were at WTSS at that time. Ayo never came back permanently and Brown came a few months after Brooks.to Will-proud that you are military, not proud that you right out of the box fall back into the vulgar mouth that is prevalent with young teenagers. I would have thought that being a adult soldier would have changed that a little.Please be safe in all that you do.

Ditto on the invite to WTSS. In particular, I would like you to see the campus: 10 cottages that housed abused and neglected kids (I believe Ron Jackson among others); complete with kitchens and fireplaces; staff that have been here for years and recruited others who stayed as well. Some left and came back, others are family members of former staff. At one point, shared education/vocational building with Odessa College, so facilities are fully capable of supporting good training. With the right support from Central Office, could be seen as 10 extended family sized group homes rather than 150 bed prison.By the way, suggest you reconsider your thinking about eating in silence at Giddings. School and meals are the most dangerous times; largest number of students who are known individually only by their own staff..potential for planned or spontaneous riot or just getting crunked is high. One of my suggestions at WTSS has been to having some meals on the dorm, family style, now that the population has dropped... social interaction at least at "family" size... plus learned skills such as meal planning, preparing, clean up... add in budgeting etc. In time, move on to inviting another dorm over etc.

In any case, thanks for using your Thanksgiving to share with our students and staff.

Spearshaker ~ I understand the security issuses behind eating in silence, but at the end of the day these are still children and making them wolf down their meals in 20 minutes (I assume that's start to finish, not just the time they sit at the table with their food in front of them?) is not physically, mentally or socially healthy. I absolutely agree that smaller 'cottages' as you call them are the way to go, and not big dorm-style warehousing. Smaller groups are easier to manage and treat, and it helps them understand healthy group dynamics as well.

Well, I commend "Will", the military guy, the ex-ofender whoever he is. He nails it on the head and if your reading....everything that Mr Hansen saw and what the kids say...is equal to what the Youth in Mart is saying. He says "I have done my time, I haven't been a problem....TYC won't let me into a treatment program...because 1) they don't have one and 2) I can't confess to my crime....so, what can you guys say now? Inmates should get some input....but that is what the mother has been saying! You are guys are incredible.....Will - kudos son. I have nothing but prayers for you...inmate or military alike. Much love and blessings young man...

TYC is a disgrace to the State of Texas and the citizens of this state on a national level. I am not a professional in this field but I am a tax payer and I am not happy. I have read enough to know millions of our tax dollars are being wasted at TYC by corrupt officials who are not providing the services they are paid to provide. In the world of business the TYC administrators would have been shown the door long ago or the organization would have been bankrupt. TYC continues to exist only because there is an endless flow of tax dollars into a failed system of management. TYC can not even decide if they are in existence to rehabilitate or punish the inmates. No plan of operation appears to exist at any level in TYC as indicated by the ever changing policies on different areas of operation. Key staff was fired without qualified replacements for their much needed job slots. TYC is in and out of court which tells me they are a road to disaster.

I have seen many people speak out against contract operation in this forum but I believe a business run operation in this field could be better than the current system. I think it is time that a business run system is put in place of the failed state government system. First the state needs to define its goals and write the contract requirements in line with the goals. The required money for operation in line with the published goals should be provided to the contractors. Multiple contractors should be selected to provide diversity should any one contractor fail to provide the required services. The business model I envision will not be cheap but it will cost less than the current corrupt waste ridden system in the log run.

Yes Sir, Mr. Grits you just experienced the best Dog and Pony show in Texas. Where there balloons and cotton candy to available to? If you believe what you saw to be true and ongoing on a daily bases I would like to send you a free subscription to "CIRCUS LIFE." What you saw was typical TYC cover-up.

I don't know about a "cover up." Being with Will Harrell instead of the PR staff, I seemed to have full access anywhere I wanted to go and to anybody I wanted to talk to. I initiated the trip (Will was going anyway, and my wife was out of town). Nobody at Giddings or CO even knew I was going until the day before, and the whole time I was there the Super was off site. Just because the kids weren't particularly misbehaved doesn't mean I got a "dog and pony show." People spoke pretty openly about the problems.

Maybe sometime when Will's headed up to Mart I'll tag along to get a sense of a more troubled unit. To folks in Pyote: I can only say I'll try. I used to travel a lot more for stuff when I was at ACLU, but I'm afraid right now your humble blogger has no employer and about a 3-digit blog budget. best,

Thank you William Tramel for service to this country. I'm glad you made it home safely. I'm sorry about the loss of your friends. I hope the outside world treats you better than what is written in this article. My husband, a vietnam vet I'm still waiting for his return.

Glad you got to visit the Giddings campus as it is the flagship of TYC. Excellent staff that work very dilligently to accomplish accountability and rehabilitation of incarcerated youth. As with any facility, it is not perfect but is the best of TYC. Continue to visit, observe and ask questions to both staff and students.

WTSS getting stuck with Mr. Ayo and Mr. Brown has lowered the campus morale pretty badly. Staff are afraid to return for fear of retaliation by Ayo and his ethnic attitude. They don't keep people because they are competent but because of race. This is what lowers the morale. The snapshot of Victory Field by Will is predominantly what has happened at WTSS since Ayo came on board with Harrison's blessings. Stories could be told that would curl your hair or straighten it, depending. Their secretary is one of the worst and admittedly states it. It's a shame that we have to endure this type of hostile work environment. Our only hope is that things will start turning around now that Hollis has returned. He does need to watch his back, as we know how the secretary, supt and Ayo dislike him and will tell lies on him, they worse that some of our youth at doing things under the table. But Hollis has many supporters lying low and watching for him. Good will prevail. WTSS emloyees are known for having stamina and backbone to report any suspicious behavior without hesitation.

To Will, stay safe and we thank you for serving. Our country is a free one because of men like you. May serving give you pride and the ability to become a productive member of society. Let go of your past. Those people will get what they deserve in due time. God Speed!

Ayo and Brown will have Bills head handed to him on a platter. Leaders that follow blindly as does Ayo and Brown have no ethics and will do the bidding of the soon to be convict Humphrey. But, if the courts do nothing with Humphrey next week he will feel as if he is invincible which does not bode well for any one. We have the same problems here at Mart with Braley and King, once they removed Walters and Berry all of us willing to speak out are numbered.

This post is for Will -It does my heart good to hear that a former TYC youth has turned their life around. I commend you for "stepping-up", both here in this blog, and especially, in Iraq. You a brave young man.1:13 is an ignorant, hateful person and I hope is no longer working with any youth at TYC!! Or youth out of a facility, for that matter!! Best of luck to you, Will. God Bless.

Will H. is just for show and probably doesn't even know it himself. Poor guy! No doubt he thinks he is doing a grat job for the kids but he is being worked! Everything at TYC is for looks Scott. Sad Will H. left a job for one at TYC that will fad away soon along with TYC. With his record of looking out for the kids in TYC he will not be making the transition to contract care.

A few words about kids on suicide watch and the need for mental health treatment. (1) the legislature has limited the number of mental health treatment program beds, and they have cut back the number of those beds available; this means that TYC has to triage the youth and provide based on two factors: degree of need and amenability to treatment. (2) There is currently no magic pill to treat people with personality and character disorders. Youth with personality disorders such as "borderline personality" are extremely histrionic and manipulative and are at a high risk for suicide gestures. We have to take these gestures seriously, because if we don't, they just might accidentally succeed in killing themselves. (3) The youth who are most ill, are also those who are most vulnerable to predation by those who have personality disorders. Therefore, some youth who have (treatable) mental health needs along with personality disorder, have to be removed from the mental health treatment programs because they are preying on other youth. It all gets back to the limited resources available. (4) there are some youth with real mental health needs who refuse treatment. By law, youth can refuse medication, and TYC cannot force them to take medication except in the case of a life-threatening emergency.

There are only two mental health treament programs in TYC: Corsicana and Crockett. Crockett runs a MHTP and a general population program - that is not a good mix. Corsicana has within its MHTP program a separate program for those who are acutely and severely ill called the Stabilization Unit. That program is extremely resource intensive; thus very expensive.

The bottom line is this: specialized treatment programs cost lots of money. Texas has not been willing to spend the money, either for incarcerated individuals or for those in the "free" who have mental health programs. (I personally feel that money spent on such treatment programs in the community would be money well spent, that in the long run would save the state much of the money it now spends to incarcerate people - but that is a whole other soap box.) Old Salty

Good job Will, you are truley an inspiration to past, present and future TYC youth. You have described an enormous problem in TYC and you have also stated it very well. As a former TYC youth and being white, I can second what Will has said. The biggest problem in TYC is there are not enough white and hispanic staff told control the corruption. TYC was run like an African county on viagra when I was there. Most JCO's were related or working on it. I like Black people but TYC is filled with to many gang members, blunt smoker's, welfare takers and crackheads that can't spell TYC. That left us kids to do what we wanted as long as we kept to ourselves. Will pay no attention to the trash that would put you down. I wish I could have known you. Best of Luck and be safe in Iraq. Tim O.

Tim O., I'm sorry that your experiences with Black staff at TYC have left you with such a low opinion of the race. Just as all white people are not like Ted Bundy, not all Black folks are like the rejects you apparently met while you were incarcerated at TYC. Trust me, white folks and Hispanics are just as likely to be corrupted by power as anyone else.

Let me appologize for my "Hope you don't come home" comment. But 9:28 you are still an asshole. You see some injustice got damm-it report it. You should give back to this country. You have spent enough of my tax dollars getting free room and board at TYC. I did my tour of duty in the original Gulf 1991 Kid. So man the fuck up. I been to the same death services as you....infact I been to more. But that is nothing to brag about.

I dispise you people here. If you are going to be associated with something, no matter what your circumstances are or have been...work for change. Dont bitch and cry about direction. Just follow orders.

Young Will (the asshole), understands following orders. In the military you follow orders cause its about life and death utimately. That is the natural order. Yea I earned the rigt to say what I say. Some of those SOBs should not come home. They dont support the war...they are punks. Sound familiar young Will.

WOW THIS COUNTRY IS GREAT. WE ALLOW ASSHOLES LIKE 6:05 TO COMMENT. I'VE POSTED SOME VERY CONTROVERSAL COMMENTS ON HERE. BUT DAMM 6:05 TAKES THE CAKE. GRITS SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS. I GOT YOU MESSAGE THE OTHER DAY. JUST DID NOT WANT PEOPLE TO SAY ITS THAT GUY.

because we are getting off the subject and i see that me trying to defend myself to others around me i will say this to you 6:05 you are entitled to your opinions and even though i strongly disagree with you i will stand down and let you show what little you think of yourself and the people around you. i know what you are doing you just want to get me aroused and bring me down to your level. while i was in tyc i did report it to Austin and nothing was done about any injustice i reported. and along that lines i will leave you with this i am not a person who has to bring others down in order to make myself feel tall. are you? -will

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